The US Federal Communications Commission[1] voted along party lines on Thursday to repeal landmark 2015 rules aimed at ensuring a free and open Internet, setting up a court fight over a move that could recast the digital landscape.
The approval of FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's[2] proposal in a 3-2 vote marked a victory for Internet service providers such as AT&T[3], Comcast Corp[4], and Verizon Communications[5] and hands them power over what content consumers can access. It also is the biggest win for Pai in his sweeping effort to undo many telecommunications regulations since taking over at the agency in January.
Democrats, Hollywood and companies such as Google parent Alphabet[6] and Facebook[7] had urged Pai, a Republican appointed by US President Donald Trump[8], to keep the Obama-era rules barring service providers from blocking, slowing access to or charging more for certain content. The new rules give internet service providers sweeping powers to change how consumers access the internet but must have new transparency requirements that will require them to disclose any changes to consumers.
The meeting, held amid protests online and in front of the FCC headquarters in Washington, was evacuated before the vote for about 10 minutes due to an unspecified security threat, and resumed after law enforcement with sniffer dogs checked the room.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters the administration "supports the FCC's efforts. At the same time, the White House certainly has and always will support a free and fair internet."
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, a Democrat, said in a statement he will lead a multi-state lawsuit to challenge the reversal.
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